Challenger centers memorialize Christa McAuliffe and teach students about space.

Challenger centers memorialize Christa McAuliffe and teach students about space.

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Updated: 12:05 AM EST Jan 28, 2016

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WEBVTT >> CHRISTA'S HUSBAND TELLS NEWS 9 THAT FOR HIS FAMILY THE CHALLENGER ACCIDENT WILL ALWAYS FEEL LIKE AN EVENT THAT OCCURRED JUST RECENTLY, AND HE APPRECIATES THE STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT HE AND HIS CHILDREN HAVE RECEIVED OVER THE YEARS. IN CONCORD, A SCHOOL NOW BEARS CHRISTA'S NAME, AND THE MCAULIFFE-SHEPARD DISCOVERY CENTER WELCOMES CHILDREN EACH DAY. BUT WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT CHRISTA AND HER FLIGHT CREW ALSO CONTINUE TO INSPIRE KIDS TO REACH FOR THE STARS AT LEARNING CENTERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THE WORL >> THEY'RE TRAVELING TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, AND CONDUCTING EXPERIMENTS AT A NEW HIGH TECH FACILITY IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS IN FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, WHERE TEACHER CHRISTA MCAULIFFE ATTENDED COLLEGE, STUDENTS ARE WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM ON A MISSION TO MARS. >> IT'S SO COOL, HONESTLY, I LOVE IT SO MUCH. >> THESE HIGHLY INTERACTIVE, SPACE ADVENTURES, ARE THE CREATION OF CHALLENGER CENTER, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FORMED BY THE FAMILIES OF THE CHALLENGER CREW IN THE DAYS AFTER THE TRAGEDY. >> PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARED, PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN THEM, WANTED TO CONTINUE THAT MISSION. ERIN: JUNE SCOBEE RODGERS WAS MARRIED TO THE CHALLENGER'S SHUTTLE COMMANDER, DICK SCOBEE. SHE LED THE EFFORT TO START CHALLENGER CENTER WHICH AIMS TO CARRY ON THE MISSION OF THE THE TEACHER IN SPACE PROGRAM IN MEMORY OF THE FLIGHT CRE >> A TRIBUTE OF SOMETHING THEY LOVED SO MUCH, SOMETHING THEY WERE WILLING TO RISK THEIR LIVES FOR. >> JUNE, WHO IS ALSO A TEACHER, HELPED CHRISTA PREPARE SOME OF THE LESSONS SHE HOPED TO DO IN SPAC >> I THINK SHE IS THE NATIONS TEACHER, AND WE ALL RESPECTED AND ADMIRED HER COURAGE TO FLY ABOARD CHALLENGE >> THESE CENTERS HOPE TO ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO EXPLORE, AND GET THEM ENGAGED IN THE AREAS OF STEM, -- SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH. >> IT'S BETTER LEARNING HERE THAN AT SCHOOL. >> ASTRONAUT MARK KELLY IS ON THE CHALLENGER CENTER BOARD. >> THE GOAL IS TO INSPIRE SOME OF THESE KIDS TO BE SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, MAYBE MEDICAL DOCTORS, BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED THAT. >> 30 YEARS AFTER THE SHUTTLE TRAGEDY, THERE ARE MORE THAN 40 CHALLENGER CENTERS, IN 27 STATES AND 4 COUNTRIE AND 20 COMMUNITIES ARE NOW VYING TO BE NEXT ON THE LIST. >> YEARS LATER, ALMOST 4 AND A 30 HALF MILLION CHILDREN HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF GOING UP INTO SPACE IN OUR CHALLENGER CENTER MISSION AND BEING INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE MORE GREATNESS IN THEIR LIF ERIN: CHRISTA'S HUSBAND SAYS CHRISTA WOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THE CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER . TOMORROW NIGHT ON A SPECIAL NEW